Before We Go: Learning to Serve and Pray
The mission has not changed. The message has not changed. From the moment this church was organized to carry the gospel forward, Christ’s calling has remained the same. And yet, sometimes we still find ourselves asking, Why hasn’t Jesus come yet?
To understand that question, it helps to place ourselves in the upper room.
For three and a half years, the disciples had walked with Jesus. They had seen the blind healed, the dead raised, food multiplied, storms calmed. Just days earlier, the crowds had hailed Him as King. Expectations were high. Surely now was the moment when Jesus would establish His kingdom.
But in that upper room, two very different ways of thinking were present.
The disciples were thinking in earthly terms—about position, recognition, and who would be greatest in the coming kingdom. Jesus, however, was thinking about something entirely different. He knew that within hours He would be betrayed, arrested, and crucified. He also knew something the disciples did not—that His mission would extend far beyond their lifetimes, passing from generation to generation until the gospel reached the world.
The disciples were focused on themselves. Jesus was focused on people.
And so, before saying anything, He did something.
John 13 tells us that Jesus rose from the table, laid aside His outer garment, took a towel, and began to wash the disciples’ feet. The work of a servant. The lowest task in the room.
Scripture records His words clearly:
“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:14–15, NKJV).
This was not simply about hospitality. It was about the spirit that would govern Christ’s kingdom. Heaven is ruled by unselfish love. Service, not status.
When Peter objected, Jesus answered:
“If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” (John 13:8).
Peter immediately swung to the other extreme—asking to be washed completely. But Jesus clarified something important: baptism begins the journey, but daily cleansing is necessary because we walk in a sinful world. Pride, self-interest, and worldly values constantly cling to us. Without continual surrender, they reshape our priorities and weaken our witness.
That evening, Jesus was doing two things at once. He was preparing to carry the sin of the world to the cross—and He was preparing His disciples to carry the gospel to the world.
Then, after instruction and encouragement, He prayed.
John 17 is not only Christ’s prayer for the disciples—it is His prayer for us.
Four requests stand out.
First, Jesus prayed for unity:
“Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.” (John 17:11).
Unity in spirit, purpose, and love—not competition, not comparison, but cooperation.
Second, He prayed for joy:
“That they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.” (John 17:13).
Not shallow happiness, but deep assurance that carries us even through hardship.
Third, He prayed for protection:
“I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.” (John 17:15).
Not escape from difficulty, but discernment, faithfulness, and spiritual safety.
Finally, He prayed for sanctification:
“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (John 17:17).
To be set apart, shaped by Scripture, and prepared to represent Christ in a broken world.
This prayer still applies. We live in a time of rapid change, loud voices, and endless speculation about what the future may hold. But Christ did not ask us to decipher every event. He asked us to live transformed lives, rooted in truth, and committed to people.
People are the only eternal investment.
As a church family, we are privileged to carry a message that not only proclaims Christ’s sacrifice, but also His ongoing ministry for us—His power to separate us from sin, renew our minds, and reshape our values. The gospel does not merely forgive; it transforms.
And transformation always begins with humility.
Before sending His disciples out, Jesus knelt down.
Before asking them to serve the world, He served them.
Before trusting them with the mission, He prayed for their hearts.
That order still matters.
As we move forward, may we allow Christ to cleanse us daily, unite us in purpose, fill us with joy, protect us from deception, and set us apart by His truth—so that when we go, we go in His spirit, not our own.
Mission flows best from kneeling hearts.
Jim Micheff was born in Battle Creek, Michigan. In 1994, he began his pastoral ministry in the Rocky Mountain Conference. He currently serves as the President of the Michigan Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, a role he has held since 2018. Prior to his presidency, he was the Executive Secretary from 2007 to 2017. His experience in Michigan also includes serving as the Youth Director, and as a local pastor. Jim and his wife, Gail, are the parents of two daughters, Jenny (Micheff) Trubey and Jody (Micheff) Jarnes, and two sons, Jamie and Jason. They are kept busy enjoying time spent with their 10 grandchildren.